My brilliant ebay bargain

codprawn · 25 February 2006, 21:39

Well I was rather dubious about buying a vehicle off Ebay but what a brilliant deal.

I love my discovery to bits - it is brilliant - totally MINT condition - stunning to drive and ever bit as good as the new one I had on lease a while ago.

The car has only done 52,000 miles and was serviced every 5,000 with all the bills and milages recorded etc.

Stunning to drive - brought it back from London in a snow storm Thu night - went for a play today!!!

Never even had a tow hitch on it - will soon change that!!!

Richard B · 25 February 2006, 21:43

One of the last TDI300s? or V8?

ES or Premium?

And the obvious question... tell us how much of a brilliant bargain?

Like your pictures by the way!

Acksherly... I can see why it was such a bargain - manual with cloth seats. Good for the price though.

codprawn · 25 February 2006, 21:53

Yes last of Tdi engines - Limited Edition Safari model - all the toys bar 2 I didn't want - no leather and manual sunroofs.

Paid £6,000 for it may sound a bit steep but dealers are charging as much as £9,000 for the same thing - already been offered £7,500 for it!!!

TD5 is more refined on road but also uses more fuel. Upto about 50mph the 300tdi sounds a bit rough but over that speed it gets more and more refined.

In low range the engine braking is incredible - steepest hill I could find - about 1mph going up or down.

I honestly think with a V8 there would be almost no difference between the late series 1 and the series 2 Discovery.

TQBoater · 26 February 2006, 21:08

Quote:

Originally Posted by codprawn

Yes last of Tdi engines - Limited Edition Safari model - all the toys bar 2 I didn't want - no leather and manual sunroofs.

Has your's got the subwoofer in the back door?
Just wondered as I had never seen any till I found mine

codprawn · 26 February 2006, 22:07

Quote:

Originally Posted by TQBoater

Has your's got the subwoofer in the back door?
Just wondered as I had never seen any till I found mine

Yes it has - brilliant setup - and the CD autochanger even plays copied cds - sounds great with Scooter!!!

Just been for a spin up to the Elan valley area - stunning!!!

Can't believe how well the discovery handles - no ACE or anything like that but very flat around corners - much harder ride offroad than my 110 though.

300tdi is NOT as good on road as the TD5 but uses less fuel and is better offroad.

With a V8 I don't think there would be much difference between a late series 1 and a series 2 Discovery.

Hugh Jardon · 26 February 2006, 22:23

hopefully it is a manual as the 300 tdi autos are crap for towing as the box overheats so take care if the light comes on and give it a rest for 10 mins before carrying on. extra fans and intercoolers on the auto box seems to have little effect. I know your boat is quite large and heavy so take care if tis the auto one.

i had a 200 manual, 300 auto and now td5 auto for the past few years

200 was rough but faster and economical, sloppy on the road
300 was sluggish, overheated the box slightly less sloppy on the road
td5 best of bunch and auto box superb but not as fast as would like, handles nicest

all my landys have sold for more than i paid for them which keeps me happy

ps does your bass speaker in the door rattle the back of the car if you play some thumping music?
have harmon kardon system in mine and kicks out some thump and rattle

codprawn · 26 February 2006, 22:33

It's a manual.

Autobox shouldn't overheat as it's the same one in the TD5 - a ZF 4 spd. It helps a lot to change up and down manually with an auto box when towing - maybe that's why yours was overheating - hunting up and down the gears?

No the sub doesn't cause the door to rattle - the discovery is SO much like new it's incredible - I have had hire cars with 5,000 miles on the clock in worse condtion from Avis.

This is my first older Discovery - I had a TD5 auto on lease for 15,000 miles - loved it but thirsty for a diesel.

Also had a new shape Range Rover for a while - loved it but expensive to run.

Hugh Jardon · 27 February 2006, 07:26

cool looks like you got a bargain then, sounds to be in really nice condition so hopefully will give you years of joy

i have had a lot of autos and i know all about how to drive them in manual and lock to a gear but the plain truth of the 300 in auto form is overheating if used for prolonged periods. cornwall was the place that used to give it most grief.

Pete7 · 27 February 2006, 07:43

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hugh Jardon

hopefully it is a manual as the 300 tdi autos are crap for towing as the box overheats so take care if the light comes on and give it a rest for 10 mins before carrying on. extra fans and intercoolers on the auto box seems to have little effect. I know your boat is quite large and heavy so take care if tis the auto one.

Really ? I tow a Pacific 22 with my 300 TDI and I recon the auto is superb.

Pete

Swifty · 27 February 2006, 08:48

Codprawn,
I too have a Tdi 300 safari, far better offroad and for slow speeds than my Td5, but Td5 was better on the road providing you didn't stall it pulling away

. Keep an eye on the sunroofs as they are notorious for leaking. Having glued all the seals back in, it still leaks.

Never had a problem towing, absolutely rock solid and stops ok as well.

codprawn · 27 February 2006, 10:46

Quote:

Originally Posted by Swifty

Codprawn,
I too have a Tdi 300 safari, far better offroad and for slow speeds than my Td5, but Td5 was better on the road providing you didn't stall it pulling away

. Keep an eye on the sunroofs as they are notorious for leaking. Having glued all the seals back in, it still leaks.

Never had a problem towing, absolutely rock solid and stops ok as well.

I think ALL glass sunroofs leak - once drove a Ford Granada that dumped gallons of freezing cold water in my lap as soon as I went down a hill.....

Also 2 brand new VW Golfs I had on hire had bad sunroof leaks.

I will check the drains all the time and blow them through with compressed air.

Hugh Jardon · 27 February 2006, 17:15

my gearbox warning light would come on after prolonged towing up steep hills with large loads, i went to safari engineering who are landy specialists and they indicated it was a problem with the GB on the 300 tdi auto. there might be two types of gearbox used on the 300 so it might have been a specific issues with my type....not sure as never really investigated it, but the guy said "Ooooh yes blah blah blah" so i went down the TD5 route. When towing on the flat it was fine but long drag hills with heavy loads and the light would come on. Anyone who has towed down to Meva will know the hills in question. For short stuff it was fine. They advised that fans dont fix the problem either but help a little bit. A lot of caravan owners i have spoken to go for the manual to steer clear of that problem as it is a widely known issue apparently....although the local landy dealer denied it being an issue on 300's.

but yours codders is a manual so you are in really good shape, just looked on ebay and it does look stunning i must say.

on my 200 the roof used to condensate and drip on your head but the 300 sunfroofs never leaked.

a landy disco with no aircon on the 200 or 300 without heat reflecting glass is a nightmare with little kiddies. luckly our has the special glass and aircon so all is comfortable in the summer heat.....just a hint if you are thinking of a landy for the family..

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pete7

Really ? I tow a Pacific 22 with my 300 TDI and I recon the auto is superb.

Pete

nugent · 27 February 2006, 17:39

intresting reading considering changing my range for td5 disco, did not know they was heavy on fuel Mmmmmmmmmm

my p38 4.6 on lpg is good really but its got lots of mileage on her now and its worked bloody hard, not that it looks it, if its not towing a boat its towing my offroader up some welsh mountain some place,best part of 3 ton poor thing.

codprawn · 27 February 2006, 17:39

Bloke didn't know his Land Rover's then!!! ZF auto in both types of Disco - problem may have been oil cooler too small but not a fault of the gearbox itself.

Know what you mean about the glass - they look like a mobile greenhouse. Mine has aircon and I always drive with all the windows open in summer unless on the motorway.

Hugh Jardon · 27 February 2006, 17:44

Quote:

Originally Posted by nugent

intresting reading considering changing my range for td5 disco, did not know they was heavy on fuel Mmmmmmmmmm

my p38 4.6 on lpg is good really but its got lots of mileage on her now and its worked bloody hard, not that it looks it, if its not towing a boat its towing my offroader up some welsh mountain some place,best part of 3 ton poor thing.

our td5 auto gives around 22 - 25 mpg, the 200 manual was much more economical. i guess with permanent 4 wheel drive etc there is a lot of drag to soak up the hp and use the diesel. but overall a good car, bit sluggish but otherwise its been good the last few years.

Hugh Jardon · 27 February 2006, 17:47

Quote:

Originally Posted by codprawn

Know what you mean about the glass - they look like a mobile greenhouse. Mine has aircon and I always drive with all the windows open in summer unless on the motorway.

haha
mobile greenhouse was the term i was going to use originally,

purchased my 300 from a garage, sold it 18 months later for more than i paid!!

brill car from that perspective.

Nos4r2 · 27 February 2006, 19:43

Quote:

Originally Posted by codprawn

Know what you mean about the glass - they look like a mobile greenhouse. Mine has aircon and I always drive with all the windows open in summer unless on the motorway.

You sure that's not because you want everyone to hear your favourite Pepsi and Shirley CD?

Seriously though, nice buy there. I've given up on the autochanger thingies now-pain in the butt. I've got one of these waiting for me to be arsed to fit it in the frontera. Had it in the artic for a while-fantastic bit of kit.

codprawn · 27 February 2006, 20:52

I think autochangers have had their day - would never fit one personally - nice to see some head units coming out with front mounted jacks for MP3 players etc. Had to fit my own to the last few units I had. Great to be able to plug in an Ipaq or even my phone to play MP3s through the main speakers!!!